TAMPA, Fla. — JetBlue passengers were taken to the hospital after a sudden altitude drop on a flight from Mexico forced an emergency landing in Florida on Thursday, according to officials.
The flight from Cancun was traveling to Newark, New Jersey, when the altitude dropped. The Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement that it is investigating.
The Airbus A320 was diverted to Tampa International Airport around 2 p.m, according to the FAA.
The airline did not immediately respond to questions about the number of people injured and the severity of their injuries.
Tampa Fire Rescue told NBC News about 15 to 20 people were evaluated and taken to local hospitals with injuries not believed to be life-threatening.
Air traffic audio from LiveATC.net captured a radio call that said, “We’ve got at least three people injured. It seems like maybe a laceration in the head.”
The plane has 162 seats, according to JetBlue’s website.
JetBlue said in a statement the plane was taken out of service to be inspected and “we will conduct a full investigation to determine the cause.”
“The safety of our customers and crewmembers is always our first priority, and we will work to support those involved,” the airline said.
In June, a JetBlue flight landing at Boston’s Logan International Airport rolled off the runway and into the grass. No one was injured but the runway was temporarily closed.
